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Brooklyn Easter Events, Brunches & Ceremonies in BK NYC

There are Two Easters Observed - 1) West European Christians & 2) East European Orthodox

April 20, 2025 / Brooklyn Neighborhoods NYC / Brooklyn Things To Do Events NYC / Brooklyn BLVD NYC.

Very Brief Introduction to Christian Easter Traditions

Christians observe Good Friday, which is when the Bible tells us that Jesus died on the cross. On the Sunday following Good Friday, Christians celebrate the Biblical account of Jesus rising from the dead, which is Easter.

Emperor Constantine became the Roman Emperor in 306. In 324 Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire.

In 1054, the Great Schism occurred, wherein Christianity split into two different sects - Roman Catholic Christians [primarily in Western Europe] and Orthodox Christians [primarily in Eastern Europe]. The traditions have much in common, but one of the differences is in how they calculate the time of Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

The Western European Christians [Protestants and Catholics] use the Gregorian Calendar to calculate when to celebrate Good Friday and Easter. The Gregorian calendar was created in the 16th century and made the official calendar by Pope Gregory. Orthodox Christians use the Julian Calendar, which was made law in the Roman Empire in 45 B.C. by Julius Caesar. The primary difference between the Julian and Gregorian calendars is that the Gregorian calendar uses Leap Year [this year is one of them] to adjust the calendar for the 1/4 extra day per year, that to our rotation around the sun requires. Thus the calendar differences, and how the date of Easter is calculated, is why the Orthodox and Roman Catholic / Protestant Christian Easters oftentimes occur on different dates.

This year [2025] the celebrations of the two traditions are celebrated the same week, whereas in 2024 the celebrations were separated by five weeks. So both the traditional Western European Christian and the Eastern Orthodox Christians are celebrating Easter the same week.

Next Up - The History of the Easter Bunny & Related Traditions

CLICK here to view our report on Easter events, Easter egg hunts and Easter brunches in Brooklyn NYC. We start off with a brief history of the Easter Bunny and the origin of related traditions.

Brooklyn Easter Events, Brunches & Ceremonies in BK NYC

There are Two Easters Observed - 1) West European Christians & 2) East European Orthodox

April 20, 2025 / Brooklyn Neighborhoods NYC / Brooklyn Things To Do Events NYC / Brooklyn BLVD NYC. Continued.

The Origin of Easter Bunny & Related Traditions

The origin of the Easter Bunny and the related traditions of painting and hiding eggs dates back to southern Germany in ancient times. Eggs were a sign of fertility, and according to some accounts, the Easter hare originated as a bird before becoming the rabbit. The rabbit is also known as a fertile animal giving birth to litters of little rabbits.

The tradition arrived in America in Pennsylvania in the 1700's. From there it evolved into the whole slew of grand traditions it has become today, which in NYC include an Easter parade of fashion on Easter day in front of St. Patrick's Cathedral on 5th Avenue, numerous Easter Egg hunts in parks and other places in all five boroughs, as well as numerous Easter Brunches organized by numerous restaurants around the city.

What follows are a selection of many of the Easter events occurring in NYC in the coming week. These include a number of Orthodox Easter events, including one of my favorites, which is the Greek Orthodox Holy Friday procession of re-enacting Christ's climb up Mount Calvary. The Greeks call Mount Calvary, Golgatha, translated means the Place of the Skull. We have also included a few non-Easter events we believed are timed to take advantage of folks looking to use their leisure time in non-traditional Easter ways. Have a Happy Easter.

This page is organized as follows this year [2025].

First we included all of the Greek Orthodox Holy Friday evening processions carrying the epitaphios.

Then we take you through Easter Weekend events.

Brooklyn Greek Orthodox Easter Events

Specifically Holy Friday Passion and carrying of the epitafios. All churches noted below also hold Easter Sunday services, which you may find by using the urls provided below to go to their websites.

Friday, April 18, 2025 from 7 to 11 pm - Lamentation & Epitafios - at Saints Constantine & Helen Cathedral at 64 Schermerhorn Street in Brooklyn. The church also hosts a Pascha Meal and an Easter Egg Hunt on Sunday morning 4.20.25. For details see - https://stconstantinecathedral.org

Friday, April 18, 2025 from 7 to ? pm - Lamentation & Epitafios - at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church at 8401 Ridge Blvd in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. The services begin at 10.30 am with the decoration of the epitaphios, followed by the unnailing service at 2.30 pm, and at 7 pm the Lamentation and carrying of the epitaphios around the neighborhood. They also host a Pascha Meal. For details see - https://www.holycrossbrooklyn.com

Friday, April 18, 2025 from 7 to 9.30 pm - Lamentation & Epitafios - at Kimisis Brooklyn Greek Orthodox Church at 224 18th Street in Greenwood Heights in Brooklyn. For details see - https://www.kimisisbrooklyn.org

Brooklyn Easter Parade & Easter Events & Egg Hunts NYC

Friday April 4, 2025 beginning at 6.40 pm - Brooklyn Cyclones Home Opener - at Maimonides Park in Brooklyn. The Cyclones Minor League baseball team hosts the Wilmington Blue Rocks in their Home Opener. The game is part of a three game weekend series, with the starting times on Saturday and Sunday at 2 pm. For details and $18 - $40 tickets see - https://www.milb.com.

April 11 - 20, 2025, Saturdays & Sundays and Weekdays, at various times - Luna Park open in Coney Island. For hours, details and tickets see - https://lunaparknyc.com/plan/park-hours-2-2/

Friday, Saturdays, Sundays, April 12, 13, 18, 19 & 20, 2025 from 11 am to 5 pm - Green Meadows Farm Easter Egg Hunt 2025 - at the Aviator Sports Center at 3159 Flatbush Avenue in the Marine Park neighborhood of Brooklyn. The event includes an Easter Egg Hunt, real bunnies, other real live animals, games and recreation. For details copy & paste - https://greenmeadowsfarmbrooklyn.com. $14.

Saturday, April 19, 2025 from 11 am to 1 pm - Easter Fest at City Point - at 445 Albee Square in Downtown Brooklyn NYC. For details and to obtain a free rsvp see - https://www.citypointbrooklyn.com

Saturday, April 19, 2025 from 10 am - 3 pm - Governors Island Earth Day Replaces Easter Egg Hunt - on Governors Island. In 2024, the 2nd Annual Governors Island Easter egg hunt took place, with 50,000 candy-filled eggs spread around Governors Island. This year Governor's Island celebrates Earth Day with a full schedule of events that include learning about seaweed, trees, oysters, birds, planting seeds and climate change and technologies. For details and ferry passage planning & ticket purchases [Adults $4 / Kids & Seniors $2 / Kids under 12 free], copy & paste - https://www.govisland.com/things-to-do/events/earth-day-on-governors-island

Saturday & Sunday, April 19 & 20, 2025 - Easter Egg / Easter Bunny events - including at Crossroads Christian Church in Bay Ridge and Trinity Grace Church in Prospect Park. This year nothing posted for Pierrepont Playground in Brooklyn Heights. For details see - https://crossroadsbrooklyn.com/easter | https://trinitygracechurch.com/calendar/2023/4/1/easter-egg-hunt-2023-dtkd6-gha8e

Click here to view Brooklyn street fairs NYC 2025.

CLICK here to view Brooklyn Easter Events Brunches Egg Hunts & Holy Friday Greek Orthodox Processions 2025 in BK NYC.

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Easter Brunches in Brooklyn NYC

Sunday, April 20, 2025 from 12 noon to 3 pm - Easter Brunch - at Dyker Beach Golf Course at 1030 86th Street in Dyker Heights. Easter Bunny, egg hunt and entertainment with brunch. For $85 / $45 tickets and details copy & paste - Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dykerbeachgcevents/ or WS - https://www.dykerbeachgc.com

Sunday, April 20, 2025 - Brunch & Dinner - at Black Mountain Wine House at 415 Union Street at Hoyt in the Gowanus neighborhood of Brooklyn NYC. For details and rsvps see - https://www.blkmtnwinehouse.com

Sunday, April 20, 2025 - Brunch & Dinner - at Chez Moi at 135 Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn Heights near Cobble Hill in Brooklyn NYC. For details see - https://www.chezmoiny.com

Saturday & Sunday respectively, April 5 & 13, 2025 at different times - Bunny Brunch & Social - at St. Anselm Bay Ridge Catholic Academy in Meletia Hall at 365 83rd Street in Bay Ridge. For inexpensive $ rsvps and details, copy & paste - https://stanselmbayridge.org